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Description: The Fading Call of the Wild, a report released today by the world’s leading wildlife conservation organizations, details the increasing threats and plunging populations of big cats and rare canids ...

The Fading Call of the Wild, a report released today by the world’s leading wildlife conservation organizations, details the increasing threats and plunging populations of big cats and rare canids living in the wild. Faced with a striking loss of habitat and prey due to over-development of land and direct killing by poachers and others who see them as a threat, wild cats such as lions, cheetahs and snow leopards, and wild dogs like the Ethiopia wolf and bush dog face an uncertain future.

The Fading Call oF The Wild

a Report by the international Fund for animal Welfare, Panthera, the iUCn/SSC Canid Specialist group, the iUCn/SSC Cat Specialist group, and the Wildlife Conservation Society

The Fading Call oF The Wild
A StAtuS updAte on 15 SpecieS of diSAppeAring Wild cAtS & cAnidS
A report by the international fund for Animal Welfare, panthera, the iucn/SSc canid Specialist group, the iucn/SSc cat Specialist group, and the Wildlife conservation Society

Table of ConTenTS
s our world becomes more and more “virtual,” as mankind gets further and further away from our natural roots, I believe it is vital to our collective soul that wild things and wild places survive. Many species of the great cats and rare canids are the core group at risk of being lost from the wild forever. If that happens, it would be a profound tragedy for humankind. They are the font of our myths and imagination. They represent powers and sensibilities that have fascinated, challenged and inspired us since the dawn of time. They are intertwined with human culture, religion, art and literature, and they have impacted how we view ourselves in this ever-changing world. There’s a reason why we’ve domesticated their not-so-distant cousins, making them our trusted confidants and steadfast, loving companions. A distant ancestral pull compels us to bring them in, reminding us of a wilder place and time when our species depended on each other for survival.

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They are all ecosystem guardians. As predators, they maintain healthy functioning places, and their absence negatively affects wildlife and people. Not only would losing these species have drastic ecological and economic impacts, I believe their loss will impact us in ways we aren’t even able yet to articulate. These species aren’t disappearing due to natural processes, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. We are losing them due to human choices and failure to see beyond our own immediate needs. While the threats are many, there are workable and actionable solutions. Some of those are laid out here, steps we can take which can ensure a future for these animals, and the ecosystems that rely on them. What is required is a global commitment, for everyone to get involved and move forward along a road that ends with keeping wilderness intact, preserving wild places, and protecting the wild species who belong in these landscapes, upon which we, as humans depend.

There are several groups out there working to ensure a future for these important species such as Panthera, IFAW and WCS. I urge you to read through this document, take notice, and take Now, whether these magnificent creatures will survive or disap- part. This is not an exclusive call to action; anybody who wishes to pear forever totally depends on us. Wild cats and wild dogs, and be part of the solution is encouraged to get involved. If we are to many other species around the globe, are faced with a multitude of avoid a future where Great Cats and Rare Canids remain only in threats, including loss of habitat, illegal hunting, and lack of their zoos, it will require help from everyone. natural food source. Wild cats, such as lions, jaguars and snow leopards, and wild dogs like the African wild dog, the Ethiopian wolf, and dhole, are in a precarious position. Many are illegally hunted, their homes are being destroyed, and their food sources depleted. These threats are real. So much so that we can only guess whether some of these species will remain outside of zoos in as little time as the next decade. Glenn Close Whether it is the iconic African lion or the shy Darwin’s fox, these Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony Award winning actress, animals hold an important place in the landscapes they occupy. and Conservationist

*All species maps show present and probable range based on best available data

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ild cats and canids have faced a growing number of increasingly severe threats to their existence for the past several decades, and these same threats continue to escalate today.

Cat species have also been part of the environment, culture and mythology of human beings for thousands of years. The lion, in • 25% of canid species are also experiencing decreasing popula- particular, has been widely used as a symbol of royalty-and-state tion trends. to the present day. In pre-Colombian civilizations in Mexico • Within the 36 cat species – over 20 of which are lesser known and Central America, the jaguar had high ritual significance. The tiger has figured in the art and culture of the great civilizasmall cats -- sixteen are currently categorized as Threatened tions of Asia. Domestic cats were revered in ancient Egypt, and (which includes rankings of vulnerable, Endangered or Critiin many countries today they rival the dog as a beloved compancally Endangered) with the Iberian lynx listed as Critically ion of man. Nevertheless, almost all species of wild cats are now Endangered. declining seriously in numbers because of human impact; some • Of the 36 species of wild canids – a class including wolves, subspecies are already extinct; and others are on the brink of exfoxes, jackals and wild dogs– seven are at some level of Threat- tinction. The disappearance of wild cats would be an inestimable ened, three of which – Darwin’s fox, Island fox and red wolf loss to the world – culturally as well as ecologically. – are considered Critically Endangered. To address the concern over the on-going decline in these speWild canids range in size from the tiny fennec fox to the mighty cies, the u.S. Congress introduced a bill in July, 2004 called The gray wolf, and occur in every continent except Antarctica. Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act. The bill identiCanids have been revered because they have, as perceived friend fied a suite of canid and cat species that would receive conseror foe, preoccupied the imaginations of mankind for millennia; vation assistance modeled after existing Multinational Species 80% of wild cat species are experiencing population declines.

According to 2008 reports from the International union for the Conservation of Nature (IuCN) Cat Specialist Group and Canid Specialist Group:

because the breadth of their adaptations makes them enthralling to science; and because the contradictory facets of their complex relations with people are perplexing and unique. But despite mankind’s intense interest in canids, increasing human population, habitat loss, disease and direct persecution are threatening many wild dogs with extinction.

Conservation Funds, which support the conservation of species deemed by the American people to be of special global value but simultaneously endangered with extinction. Conservationists, scientists and government officials alike point to these conservation funds as effective tools through which small amounts of public funding have leveraged large conservation gains for targeted species such as great apes, elephants, marine turtles, rhinos and tigers. But despite wide support from over 80 organizations within the scientific, animal welfare, conservation, outdoorsmen, and zoo communities, representing almost 200 million supporters and patrons, the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act is still waiting to become law. This report provides a status assessment of the 15 different species specifically targeted by the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act for conservation assistance. The list includes well known species such as lions, jaguars, and gray wolves, as well as species barely known by the public like dholes, Darwin’s foxes, and the Iberian lynx. Wherever possible, the status of the species is explored not only in the historic context, but also in perspective of species milestones during the past decade during which the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act was first introduced. The possibilities to help wild cat and rare canid species are as

numerous as the threats they currently face: habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, disease, road kills, loss of prey base, and persecution as retaliation from real or perceived livestock depredation. Additionally several of these species are killed because they pose a serious threat to people, and even more are exterminated because they are thought to be a threat despite no history of attacks against human beings. Canids face a threat from hybridization with domestic dogs, as well as transfer of disease. Many of the wild cats are confronted with poorly managed trophy hunting operations, and exploitation for the burgeoning global wildlife trade, including poaching for their skins for use in fashion, body parts taken to be used in the traditional Asian medicine trade, and abduction from the wild for the exotic pet trade. And a new threat to both wild canids and cats could be coming from climate change, the implications of which have yet to be fully explored for most of these species. The 15 profiles here are only a small glimpse into the challenges that these 72 species of wild cat and canid are up against in the wild. It is also an introduction to what can be done to help them and create a future that includes predators as iconic as the cheetah, as rare as the bay cat, as elusive as the snow leopard, and as mysterious as the bush dog. The best opportunity to save these disappearing wild cat and canid species is right now.

daRWin’S Fox
PseudaloPex fulviPes
STaTUS • Darwin’s fox is found only in Chile. There are two populations, one on Chiloé Island, and another in the coastal forests of mainland Chile. Genetic studies suggest that the two populations separated approximately 15,000 years ago. WhaT Can be done The main threat to Darwin’s foxes is their extremely small population size and restricted distribution, which make them highly vulnerable to extinction. To illustrate the risks, the superficially similar island fox – restricted to six of the Channel Islands off the coast of California – experienced major population crashes on four islands in the late 1990s, with two subspecies becoming (temporarily) extinct in the wild. In this context, the following actions are needed for Darwin’s fox. • Organize scientific expeditions to search for additional populations of Darwin’s foxes: there are many remote patches of coastal forest on the mainland where relict populations might remain.

ibeRian lynx
STaTUS • The Iberian lynx is the most endangered felid in the world. There are now only two known breeding populations, both of them in Spain. The latest surveys suggest a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 143 adults. These populations are isolated from one another making them even more vulnerable. • Until recently, the Iberian lynx occurred throughout Spain and Portugal. In 1999, an estimated 1,100 adults occurred in 10 sub-populations on the Iberian Peninsula.

lynx Pardinus

• Between 2004-2009, the captive lynx population has grown from 5 to 76. Of those, 42 are cubs which have been born in captivity. WhaT Can be done The situation of the Iberian lynx is now so grave that it is the only felid species in which the costly and risky process of captive breeding and reintroduction is essential. The lynx is threatened by the collapse of its main prey, the European rabbit, whose population now numbers only about 5% of 1950 levels due mainly to the introduction of exotic disease. lynx numbers have declined also due to extensive habitat loss and illegal persecution by trapping, poisoning and shooting. • Install wildlife underpasses, exclusion fences and speed humps on roads and highways that are hotspots for lynx road-kills.

• About 500 Darwin’s foxes are estimated to live on Chiloé Island, with fewer than 100 on the mainland.

• Like many island species, Darwin’s foxes have little fear of people: this can contribute to their endangerment. Foxes in the mainland are also threatened by domestic dogs, both as predators and as vectors of disease.

• Darwin’s foxes are protected in Chiloé National Park in the western part of the island, about the size of Denver, Co. All known Darwin’s foxes in the mainland population are found in Nahuelbuta National Park, roughly the size of Arlington, vA.

• Between 1985-2001, the range of the Iberian lynx declined by 87% and the number of breeding females dropped by more than 90%. in The laST 10 yeaRS • Surveys in Portugal have failed to find the Iberian lynx since 2001. It is thought to be extinct there now.

in The laST 10 yeaRS • In the last 10 years remnants of Central Chile’s coastal forests, the main habitat of Darwin’s fox, have continued to shrink due to timber exploitation and development projects.

• Manage domestic dog populations in and around Darwin’s fox habitat. Both populations are threatened by domestic dogs, which can kill foxes but also carry diseases (such as rabies and distemper) which can decimate the already tiny fox populations. Control of dog diseases would therefore help to protect Darwin’s foxes.

• Between 2001-2008, at least 23 lynx were killed on roads.

• Between 2000-2003 alone, at least 24 lynx are known to have died in the wild. This is an underestimate as many lynx simply disappear and the cause of death is never established. Almost 80% of known fatalities were caused directly by humans.

• Reduce hunting pressure on wild rabbits living on private lands that are important to lynx. local landowners play a pivotal role in managing the prey base of the lynx.

• Strengthen the protection of remaining suitable lynx habitat to provide sites for reintroduction and restoration. Such habitat must be strictly protected against planned intensive infrastructure development.

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eThioPian WolF
Canis simensis
STaTUS • Ethiopian wolves are endemic to the Ethiopian highlands, found only in Afroalpine heath and grasslands at altitudes of 3,000–4,500m. • Fewer than 500 Ethiopian wolves remain, with more than half found in the Bale Mountains. other, very small, populations are found in the Simien Mountains, Mount Guna, Wollo, Menz and the Arsi Mountains.

SnoW leoPaRd
unCia unCia
STaTUS • There are as few as 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards living in the wild today; the exact number is unknown as they are extremely elusive and hard to survey. • Though secretive and sparsely distributed across 12 countries from southern Siberia to the Tibetan Plateau, snow leopards are highly vulnerable to poaching for their hides and bones which are prized on the black market. • Recent armed conflict in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India has taken an unknown toll on snow leopards and other rare species. Snow leopard hides are often found in the markets of kabul, Peshawar, and other towns in and near central Asian war zones and may be an income source for insurgencies. WhaT Can be done Managing human-snow leopard conflicts is critical and will require reducing livestock depredation through better animal husbandry, restoration of wild prey stocks, and offsetting the economic losses of depredation to subsistence pastoralists. Effective snow leopard conservation hinges upon stronger national conservation policies, greater awareness at all stake-holder levels through education, and meaningful international cooperation to stem illegal wildlife trade.

• There are no Ethiopian wolves in captivity.

• Due to their social pack structure, Ethiopian wolves are at their most vulnerable when at low numbers. Entire packs may go extinct during a rabies outbreak, and no new packs form for several years afterward.

• In addition to habitat loss, more immediate threats are associated with the presence of domestic dogs living among Ethiopian wolves, with disease transmission, hybridization and direct competition threatening wolf survival. Rabies outbreaks occur every 5-10 years at peaks in wolf density and may kill up to 75 percent of an infected population.

• Continuous loss of habitat due to high-altitude subsistence agriculture represents the major threat to Ethiopian wolves. Sixty percent of all land above 3,200m has been converted into farmland, and all populations below 3,700m are particularly vulnerable to further habitat loss, exacerbated by overgrazing by domestic livestock.

WhaT Can be done Ethiopian wolves require continued protection from rabies and canine distemper, which tend to be transmitted from a reservoir in the rural and feral dog population.

• Institute preventive vaccination of domestic dogs to reduce risk of transmission to Ethiopian wolves. To date over 60,000 domestic dogs have been vaccinated in Bale alone, but this coverage needs to be maintained in perpetuity if Ethiopian wolves are to persist. • Replace reactive vaccination of Ethiopian wolves with preventive vaccination using an oral vaccine to more effectively protect the surviving populations. Sadly, regular vaccination will need to be maintained indefinitely to prevent extinction.

• Subsistence pastoralism is extensively practiced across snow leopard range, and conflict due to livestock depredation by snow leopards is widespread, with retribution killing of the cats a common outcome.

• Recent studies using GPS-satellite collars have shown that snow leopards require very large areas to meet their basic needs. hence, very few existing protected areas would support even a single breeding pair of the cats. in The laST 10 yeaRS • Poorly managed trophy hunting of wild mountain sheep and goats has reduced the snow leopard’s natural food resources, exacerbating snow leopard depredation on livestock. Scientific surveys in 2009 yielded a low estimate of just 9,100 argali remaining in Mongolia, down from 13,000 in 2001 and 60,000 in 1985. • Snow leopard numbers in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan remain very low after being decimated by illegal trade in the decade following the collapse of the Soviet union.

• Conduct outreach programs to foster appreciation of the essential ecosystem services – such as clean water and ecotourism benefits – provided by Afromontane habitats to millions of people downstream. The Ethiopian wolf would provide an ideal flagship for such outreach. • Manage small isolated populations of Ethiopian wolves as components of a metapopulation. This would help reduce their vulnerability to extinction, while maintaining or even enhancing their genetic variability.

• Urgent intervention followed these rabies outbreaks, and vaccination of wolf packs around the infected packs prevented this lethal disease from spreading further. 8

in The laST 10 yeaRS • The largest Ethiopian wolf population, in the Bale Mountains, suffered rabies outbreaks in both 2003 and 2008. As a result, this critical population fluctuated between just 150 and 350 individuals.

• Encourage tolerance of predators by establishing village-managed livestock insurance programs in India and Pakistan that insure against losses to snow leopards.

• Offset economic losses due to snow leopard depredation by establishing alternative livelihood options. A model example is a handicraft development program in over 40 villages in Mongolia that offsets economic losses due to snow leopard depredation.

• Build predator-proof corrals while encouraging ecotourism and home-stays to increase income and local appreciation of the big cats. This has been especially successful in ladakh, India and has significant potential for large parts of snow leopard range.

• Improve hunting management of prey species with sciencebased guidelines and income going to local villagers. This has been accomplished in northern Pakistan where locally managed hunting results in 60% of the income going to local villagers, who in turn protect wild sheep and goats.

• Establish National Action Plans for snow leopard conservation in all range countries. The countries of Pakistan, Mongolia, Nepal, India and Tajikistan have already drafted such plans. 9

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bay CaT
Pardofelis badia
• A secretive species, the bay cat appears to have always been naturally rarer than other Southeast Asian cats. The total population of bay cats remaining on Borneo is believed to be below 2,500 individuals, and is declining. STaTUS • The bay cat has a highly restricted distribution, being found only on the island of Borneo. It is found in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak and the Indonesian states of kalimantan; its presence in Brunei is uncertain.

aFRiCan Wild dog
lyCaon PiCtus
STaTUS • African wild dogs formerly lived throughout Africa south of the Sahara, absent only from the hottest deserts and the densest lowland forest. • Today, African wild dogs remain in as little as 7% of their former range. Wild dogs are extinct in 22 countries which they formerly inhabited. peared from the rangelands of northern kenya in the 1980s, but recolonized naturally nearly 20 years later. Today, this area supports the world’s sixth-largest wild dog population, living alongside people and livestock. This example illustrates how a combination of land use planning, resolution of conflict with farmers, control of snaring and conservation outreach can – when implemented at very large scales – encourage recovery of this endangered species. This success could be repeated elsewhere if resources and political will were sufficient. • Promote traditional husbandry practices that discourage African wild dogs from killing livestock.

• There are no bay cats in captivity and consequently they have a high value to wildlife traders who are aware of the species’ rarity. Bay cats have been captured illegally from the wild for this market as well as for their skins. in The laST 10 yeaRS • The bay cat was first photographed in the wild in 2002. Despite the increasing use of remote cameras traps in Borneo to date, camera trap surveys have accumulated less than 30 images of this little-known species.

WhaT Can be done The bay cat is one of the least known of the world’s wild cats. It is naturally scarce and vulnerable to intense pressure on its forest habitat. There is almost nothing known about how to plan for the species’ conservation. • Conduct fundamental research into the ecological requirements of this species and its responses to habitat modification to develop meaningful conservation strategies.

• African wild dog packs require huge areas to survive year-round. Each pack requires an area ten times the size of Manhattan; protecting a viable population requires an area at least as large as Connecticut. in The laST 10 yeaRS • In the past decade, African wild dogs in South Africa’s worldfamous Kruger National Park have declined from 350 to 120 individuals.

• Worldwide, fewer than 8,000 free-ranging African wild dogs remain. Because only one pair usually breeds in each pack (of 9-10 adults), that means fewer than 800 breeding females remain in the wild.

• Discourage the use of snares to hunt wild ungulates, to avoid accidental capture of African wild dogs which are frequently killed by snares. Working with local communities to establish alternative protein sources would help to reduce hunting of wild prey. • Encourage ecotourism on private and community lands, so that local people will perceive African wild dog populations as a benefit.

• Forest loss across Borneo has proceeded at an alarming rate. In the mid-1980s 75% of Borneo was covered in forest; by 2005 forest cover had been reduced to 50%. If this rate of deforestation continues, it is projected that forest cover will have been reduced to less than one-third by 2020.

• Once thought to be restricted to dense primary forest, recent camera trap-based research suggests that these elusive cats can utilize logged forest, highlighting the importance of commercially exploited forests to the conservation of this species. The same research reveals that the bay cat appears to avoid oil palm plantations.

• Educate local people on Borneo about the bay cat’s existence and its conservation plight. Most people on the islands are unaware of the species and that it is a unique part of the island’s natural heritage found nowhere else on earth.

• Work with local people to set aside areas for dry season grazing of livestock, which also provides space for African wild dogs and their prey. Such land use is practiced traditionally by Masai and Samburu communities in kenya, potentially providing a model for other areas. 11

dhole
Cuon alPinus
STaTUS • Dholes, also known as Asiatic wild dogs, formerly lived throughout Asia, from the mountains of the himalayas and the Tien Shan, through the steppes of Mongolia and the woodlands of India, to the dense forests of Southeast Asia. • Today, dholes inhabit a fraction of their former range. Although distribution data are poor, dholes are thought to be extinct in 11 of 20 countries which they formerly inhabited.

lion
Panthera leo
STaTUS • Only a century ago, there were possibly as many as 200,000 lions living in Africa. The latest surveys estimate that there are fewer than 30,000 lions living in the wild in Africa today. • 4,421 lion trophies were exported by big game hunters from 7 African countries between 2000 and 2008. WhaT Can be done The single greatest threat to lions today is killing by people who own livestock. Africa has the fastest growing population of any continent and the pressure on wilderness and protected areas for cultivation and grazing is intense. herders and ranchers shoot, trap and poison lions across their range. • Lions once inhabited the entire African continent except for the Saharan Desert and the dense rainforest of the Congo Basin. Today, they have vanished from over 80 percent of their historic range in Africa.

• Dholes have not been well enough studied to allow an estimate of the global population. however, like other pack living carnivores such as African wild dogs and wolves, only one pair usually breeds in each pack, so that the number of animals contributing genes to the next generation is a fraction of the total population size.

• In 2008, catastrophic declines in the abundance of deer species – dholes’ main prey – were reported in peninsular Malaysia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. • Massive conversion of dholes’ forest habitat to oil palm plantations has occurred in Indonesia and Malaysia within the past ten years. Elsewhere, much dhole habitat has been lost to agriculture, human settlements, and infrastructure development.

in The laST 10 yeaRS • A 2005 genetic study revealed that dholes on Java are very distinct from those elsewhere in Asia – yet several Javanese populations have become extinct in the last decade.

WhaT Can be done Dholes have not been well studied, but appear to face threats similar to those experienced by the other large carnivores: loss of habitat and prey, persecution by stock farmers, accidental capture in snares, and diseases.

• Lions once occupied Asia from the Middle East to Eastern India. They are now extinct in their entire Asian range except for a single, isolated population of 350 in India’s Gir Forest. • Lions are now extinct in 26 countries they formerly occupied.

• Conserve dholes’ prey base. Living as they do in parts of Asia which support very high densities of people, dholes are especially likely to suffer through depletion of wild prey caused by human hunters. Conserving dholes’ prey base would also have broader importance for conservation in Asia.

in The laST 10 yeaRS • Surveys in West and Central Africa have failed to find lions in Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon and the Republic of Congo where they are considered extinct or on the verge of extinction. lions have not been confirmed in Ghana since 2003 where their status is considered perilous at best.

• Provide training and incentive for “Lion Guardian” programs: In East Africa, some young Masai warriors become ‘lion Guardians’ to protect lions instead of hunting them. They become the front line in reducing human-lion conflicts by informing herders of areas occupied by lions, helping farmers improve their cattle husbandry and track down lost livestock, and by discouraging other Masai warriors from hunting lions in the future. In the areas where lion Guardians are currently active, no lions have been killed since 2005. • Reduce the ubiquity of agro-pesticides that are widely misused to poison carnivores. Manufacturers can partner in this effort by increasing initiatives to restrict their distribution to rural Africa, and by providing less toxic alternatives that cannot be abused so easily.

• Conduct research on dholes and their conservation needs. Effectively conserving dhole is severely hampered by lack of information, and research focused on the species’ conservation needs is urgently needed.

• In southern Kenya’s Maasailand, one of the most important ecosystems for the species, at least 200 lions have been killed by spearing and poison since 2001.

CheeTah
aCinonyx jubatus
STaTUS • Cheetahs occur at low densities throughout their range and are nowhere abundant. There are estimated to be fewer than 10,000 adult individuals left in the wild in their entire range. STaTUS • There are now thought to be fewer than 20,000 clouded leopards remaining, with approximately half on mainland Southeast Asia, and half on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. No single population is estimated to have more than 1,000 individuals. • Clouded leopards formerly occurred throughout the forests of South and Southeast Asia. Today they are patchily distributed in 13 countries, and are extinct in Taiwan. • Cheetahs once inhabited the whole African continent except for the Congo Basin rainforest. Today, they have vanished from over 77 percent of their historic range in Africa.

neofelis nebulosa/neofelis diardi

CloUded leoPaRd

• Clouded leopards are hunted for their extraordinary skins and for body parts that are in wide demand across Asia. hunting pressure, even in protected areas in their range, is intense. At least seven clouded leopards were illegally killed in Sumatra’s kerinci Seblat National Park in 2000−2001 alone. WhaT Can be done The clouded leopard is one of the least known large cat species. only eight individuals have ever been radio-collared and their basic ecology is still little understood. They are thought to be more resilient to human pressures than large cats such as tigers and leopards, and they persist in areas after those species disappear- but the requirements for conserving the species are still very poorly known. • Conduct basic research on both clouded leopard species in order to expand our knowledge on their ecological requirements, and better learn how best to conserve them. Advances in digital camera-trapping techniques combined with compact, GPS telemetry hold the best potential.

• Cheetahs once occupied Asia from the Arabian Peninsula to Eastern India. They are now extinct in their entire Asian range except for a single, isolated population of perhaps 120 in the remote central plateau of Iran. • Cheetahs are now extinct in 25 countries they formerly occupied. They are possibly extinct in a further 13 countries.

with livestock owners than do many other large carnivores. Even so, they are persecuted intensely in some areas for perceived problems or for the relatively minor problems they do create.

• Although clouded leopards occupy a variety of habitats including logged forest, they appear to avoid heavily modified habitats such as oil palm plantations, and have disappeared from large expanses of rainforest now converted to plantations.

in The laST 10 yeaRS • Cheetahs have not been sighted in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Rwanda in the last decade. • Two skins found in Kabul in 2006 and 2007 are the only records of the species in Afghanistan since the 1980s; it is unclear that these two skins even originated from inside the country.

• Help increase natural prey abundance by assisting local communities in protecting wild herbivore species. In rural areas throughout their range, cheetahs selectively prey upon wild prey before turning to livestock, therefore more natural prey options will help prevent livestock losses to cheetahs.

• Cheetahs have been reintroduced to over 38 reserves in South Africa where they now number more than 265. However, most of these populations are very small and isolated from all other cheetah populations with very few prospects of connection. WhaT Can be done Cheetahs are the least dangerous of big cats- there is no record of a wild cheetah ever killing a human- and they create fewer problems 14

• Plan corridors for cheetah movement with the latest GPStechnology to help delineate the movements of cheetahs between protected populations. This is key to their survival as cheetahs use massive home ranges and move extensive distances between parks and reserves.

• Use large livestock guarding dogs to dramatically reduce the loss of small livestock- sheep and goats- to cheetahs. Dogs such as Anatolian Shepherds are bonded to the herd and actively engage and repel cheetahs from attacking the herd.

in The laST 10 yeaRS • Previously considered a single species, molecular and morphological analyses in 2006 showed the clouded leopard actually comprises two distinct species, the mainland or Indochinese clouded leopard and the Sunda clouded leopard found only on Sumatra and Borneo. While this is exciting scientific news, it actually means there are now fewer individuals of two distinct species, each therefore requiring greater conservation attention. • Clouded leopard habitat in Southeast Asia is undergoing the world’s highest deforestation rates. Over 10% of lowland forest was lost in the past ten years, mainly due to the expansion of oil palm plantations; illegal logging has also cleared large tracts in some areas of their range.

• Research and address the possible impact of conflict between clouded leopards and local people. In some areas, especially on Borneo and Sumatra, clouded leopards are regarded as predators of domestic animals. Gaining a better understanding of the conditions in which clouded leopards create actual problems and how to address them is a priority. 15

• Promote incentives and certification processes for responsible palm oil cultivation. Pressure on the main buyers of palm oil has led to certification processes banning planting on primary rainforest and areas with high conservation value. Extending and expanding that process can help protect key clouded leopard habitat.

bUSh dog
STaTUS • Bush dogs inhabit forested areas of tropical South America and tend to be closely associated with water. Their curiously stocky body form is thought to help them hunt large rodents in dense forest. Bush dogs have also been reported from lowland cerrado and wet savannah ecosystems. • Like African wild dogs and dholes, bush dogs hunt in packs, and appear to live at very low population densities. • Bush dogs are poorly studied; most field biologists working in bush dog range have never seen a bush dog in the wild. Although they are considered widely distributed in Central and South America, bush dogs are absent from large tracts of land, and have historically always been reported as a rare species, regardless of human disturbance and conflict.

sPeothos venatiCus

JagUaR
Panthera onCa
• During the 1960s and 1970s, the jaguar was heavily hunted for its beautiful fur. As many as 18,000 wild jaguars were killed each year until the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) brought the open pelt trade to a halt in 1973. STaTUS • Jaguars formerly lived throughout most of Latin America, from Northern Mexico and the south-western united States to southern Argentina. Today they survive in 60% of their historic range. • Despite laws protecting jaguars in many range states, hunting continues by people who view jaguars as a threat to their families or livelihoods. Conflict hotspots have arisen in most countries where jaguars live, especially in areas where land adjacent to forest has been cleared for pasture or settlements. An estimated 185−240 jaguars and pumas were killed in a single ranching landscape in Alta Floresta, Brazil between 20022004. WhaT Can be done • Improve management and increase security patrols in protected areas where jaguars are found in order to help to buffer core populations from the surrounding threats of human development. • Over-hunting of natural prey species forces jaguars to prey on domestic animals, which in turn fuels animosity towards jaguars. The natural prey base has been substantially depleted in almost 30% of the jaguar’s current range.

A 2008 analysis of over 250 historic bush dog locations determined that 20% were associated with habitat which is now fragmented or degraded. WhaT Can be done Bush dogs’ biology is so poorly known that – with the exception of protecting habitat – it is hard to know what actions would contribute to their conservation. There are a few general things however that could be done to help bush dogs. • Conduct basic research on the species’ habitat, and prey requirements, and on the threats it faces, particularly the impact of habitat fragmentation. Bush dogs’ rarity and elusive nature make the collection of such apparently simple data very challenging, but directing resources at this neglected species would allow conservation measures to be identified and implemented.

• Jaguars are now extinct in El Salvador and Uruguay and while the rare individual has been spotted in the uS, there has not been evidence of a breeding jaguar population in the last 50 years. • The jaguar is the largest and most iconic cat living in the Americas. Jaguars can use a wide variety of habitats, but need large wild places to survive. As a result, existing protected areas are often not large enough to sustain viable populations.

• Bush dogs’ geographic distribution is uncertain, and the global population is unknown. Numbers are likely to be low, despite the species’ broad distribution. in The laST 10 yeaRS • Habitat conversion for soy bean agriculture in the Mato Grosso state of Brazil, an important area for bush dogs, has been the greatest in the Neotropics in the last 10 years. Bush dog habitat faces similar threats elsewhere in western Brazil and eastern Bolivia.

• Protect habitat known to have resident bush dog populations. Because the bush dog has a large distribution and is a little known mammal, it may make a unique and excellent flagship for Amazonian forest conservation.

• Expand conservation activities into areas where humans live. As jaguars need more space than protected areas can provide, such expansion coupled with promotion of both jaguar habitat and livelihoods will be essential for their survival. • Implement rancher outreach and mitigation programs that not only reduce the killing of livestock by jaguars, and the subsequent killing of jaguars by ranchers, but also increase livestock productivity. 17

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Maned WolF
ChrysoCyon braChyurus
STaTUS • Maned wolves inhabit the grasslands and open woodlands of tropical South America. Their long legs and large ears are believed to be adaptations to hunting small prey in long grass. • Today, maned wolves’ habitat has been reduced and fragmented. In Brazil, the cerrado – one of the habitats favored by maned wolves -- has been reduced to 20% of its original extent, and only 1.5% is protected. Elsewhere grasslands are under threat from the relentless advance of soy bean cultivation. • As people encroach on maned wolf habitat, road kills have become an increasing threat to the species. Domestic dog diseases may also threaten maned wolf populations. • Protect maned wolf habitat by conserving and effectively managing remaining cerrado and other grasslands in South America.

leoPaRd
Panthera Pardus
STaTUS • Leopards are the most versatile of big cats and occupy all habitats from the Congo rainforest to true deserts. Even with their remarkable adaptability, leopards have vanished from almost 40% of their historic range in Africa, and from over 50% of their historic range in Asia. • At least 28 leopards were killed in illegal gin traps between 2005-2008 in South Africa’s Cape Mountains where the leopard is a unique, pygmy form only half the size of leopards elsewhere in the country. WhaT Can be done leopards are adaptable and have demonstrated an astonishing ability to live in fairly close proximity with people. however they face the combined threats of retaliatory killing by livestock owners and illegal hunting for fur and body parts, mainly for commercial trade in Asia. Badly managed legal hunting is also known to affect the species.

• There are now only approximately 30 remaining wild Amur leopards. This is the northern-most sub-species that lives alongside Siberian Tigers in far eastern Russia’s snow-cloaked boreal forest. • Leopards are now extinct in 6 countries they formerly occupied, and their presence in 6 additional countries is very uncertain.

in The laST 10 yeaRS • Conversion of cerrado for soy bean and corn production has continued aggressively over the past decade, destroying prime maned wolf habitat. This habitat destruction is projected to continue as former cerrado now contributes 25 percent of all grain produced in Brazil.

• Develop tools for reducing conflict between farmers and maned wolves, such as encouraging the use of maned wolfproof chicken coops and other livestock practices that keep small domestic animals out of harm’s way. • Control and manage domestic dog populations within or around key maned wolf populations so that dogs do not attack maned wolves or transmit disease.

• Maned wolves are now almost extinct in the wild in Uruguay and Peru, with few individuals surviving on the countries’ borders with population source countries such as Brazil, Argentina (for uruguay) and Bolivia (for Perú). WhaT Can be done The most important conservation action for maned wolves is protection of their habitat against agricultural conversion and urbanization.

in The laST 10 yeaRS • Between January and May 2010, at least 160 leopards were killed in India alone, most of them for the illegal parts and fur trade. Over 250 leopards a year have been killed by people just in India in the last decade. More than 1,200 leopards were killed in 2000 alone.

• Improve hunting regulations to help ensure that trophy hunting does not contribute to the decline of the leopard. In South Africa, new models of trophy hunting leopards have been proven to reduce the negative impacts on the long-term success of populations.

• Improve husbandry of domestic livestock to help reduce their vulnerability to leopards, and the reasons that people kill these cats in retaliation. Making sure that young, vulnerable livestock is well guarded or brought into corrals at night reduces losses to leopards.

• Use a combination of livestock guarding dogs and herd dogs that both warn of the presence of predators and defend herds from predators to deter leopards from preying upon livestock. 19

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ConClUSion

o
gRay WolF
Canis luPus
in The laST 10 yeaRS • In 2000 wolves returned naturally to Germany, having recently recolonized in France and Switzerland. This shows their ability to live in human-dominated landscapes when not systematically persecuted. STaTUS • The gray wolf was formerly the world’s most widely distributed terrestrial mammal, living throughout much of the northern hemisphere. WhaT Can be done Traditionally, wolves have been reviled as predators of livestock; government attempts to control them have been documented for at least 1,200 years. Such persecution is still the biggest threat to wolves throughout their range.

ver the past decade, the 15 species of wild canids and cats profiled in this report have given reasons for optimism for their survival, as well as isolated examples of progress and success. However, the overall trend is stark and clear – without greater global assistance and a concerted conservation effort, many of these species will continue to move closer and closer toward extinction. Simultaneously, the report identifies real opportunities for protecting these species of cats and canids, with road maps available for implementing tangible conservation initiatives to halt and hopefully reverse their current decline.

conservation efforts for a handful of species such as those profiled here can be leveraged and used for conservation ripples far beyond the originally targeted species. habitat conservation initiatives on behalf of these wild cats and dogs will save ecosystems that other feline and canid species also use. Enforcement efforts on behalf of certain wild cats and dogs will ultimately benefit all cats and canids impacted by illegal wildlife trade. And wildlife-human conflict mitigation tools developed for one species can be modeled or adapted for other species. The last ten years have shown that while wild canid and cat species are clearly imperiled, there is also good reason for hope and considerable opportunity for making gains against extinction. These species can, and will, rebound if there is a will to save them.

The 15 species included in this report are only one-fifth of the wild cat and dog species still living today. however global

• Wolves were extirpated from many areas in Eurasia during the 20th Century. In some countries they are so reviled that governments still maintain active plans to eradicate them.

• Wolf populations are declining in many Asian countries. In western Europe, however, wolf numbers are recovering, with several important recolonization events. • Some remaining populations are small and threatened – these include about 50 animals in Greenland, about 150 in the deserts of Israel, and a few hundred in Scandinavia. 20

• Reform outdated and unnecessary government policies calling for, or incentivizing, eradication of wolves and other top predators.

• Use tools developed in Eastern Europe and North America to minimize predation on livestock. These tools have helped foster wolf recovery without major impacts on livestock farmers. These successes could be repeated elsewhere in Eurasia with sufficient outreach, capacity building, and devotion of resources.

Iranian and Northwest African cheetah subspecies are Critically Endangered Recently the clouded leopard was divided into two species: the Indochinese clouded leopard found on mainland Southeast Asia, and the Sunda clouded leopard found in Borneo and Sumatra. 3 Sri lankan and Persian leopard subspecies are Endangered; Amur, Arabian, and Javan subspecies are Critically Endangered.
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ifAW, the internAtionAl fund for AnimAl WelfAre
Founded in 1969, IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare) has grown into one of the most effective animal welfare organizations specializing in saving animals in crisis around the world. With projects in more than forty countries, IFAW saves individual animals, populations of animals, and habitats. IFAW provides hands-on assistance to wildlife and domestic animals in the wake of disasters, and rescues wildlife, such as orphaned clouded leopard cubs, rehabilitates and returns them to the wild. IFAW also advocates for the protection of animal populations from cruelty and depletion, in particular elephants, whales, seals, dogs and cats, tigers, and in Germany we are facilitating the natural return of wolves. IFAW’s staff of more than 200 includes scientists, program specialists, political campaigners, and educators. We engage individuals, local communities and governments in promoting animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of both animals and people. www.ifaw.org

pAntherA
Panthera ensures the future of wild cats through scientific leadership and global conservation action. utilizing the knowledge and expertise of the world’s leading cat experts, Panthera develops, implements, and oversees range-wide species conservation strategies for the world’s largest, most imperiled cats – tigers, lions, jaguars and snow leopards. In Asia, through Tigers Forever, a collaborative program with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Panthera is protecting core populations of tigers by addressing key threats, such as illegal poaching, by amplifying enforcement and patrol efforts to ensure that tigers live on in the wild forever. Across Africa, Panthera’s lion program, Project leonardo, is targeting human-lion conflict landscapes, working with local communities to identify solutions so that people and lions can live together. Panthera’s Jaguar Corridor Program is securing the world’s largest genetic and biological corridor for jaguars across their entire range, all the way from Argentina to Mexico. And in some of the most rugged terrain on the planet, Panthera’s Snow leopard Program works to conserve snow leopards through long-term monitoring and converting data into conservation solutions. Panthera achieves success by working through partnerships with local and international NGos, scientific institutions, and local and national government agencies. www.panthera.org

the iucn cAnid SpeciAliSt group
Part of the International union for the Conservation of Nature (IuCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC), the Canid Specialist Group is the world’s chief body of scientific and practical expertise on the status and conservation of all members of the wolf, dog, and fox family. The Canid Specialist Group is composed of 75 experts, representing over 30 countries (and with expertise in many more) including field biologists, academics, wildlife managers, government officials, NGo staff, and others from diverse but inter-related fields. All group members are actively involved in canid conservation and research, and serve as honorary advisers, bringing with them the experience and the knowledge gained in their professional careers. www.canids.org

the iucn cAt SpeciAliSt group
The IuCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group brings together more than 200 of the world’s leading cat experts, including scientists, wildlife managers and conservationists from 50 countries who are dedicated to advancing the understanding and conservation of the world’s 36 wild living cat species. It is one of over 120 similar international specialist groups forming the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the World Conservation union (IuCN). The Specialist Groups perform species assessments for the IuCN Red list of Threatened Speciestm, and produce species action plans and policy guidelines. These groups also provide information for the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, which is hosted by the united Nations Environment Programme (uNEP) and advise governments that are Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Cat Specialist Group is active in many of its own initiatives as well, focusing on the development of tools for the assessment of the species’ status, for the compilation and distribution of intelligence and for supporting the work of its members. www.catsg.org

Wildlife conServAtion Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. www.wcs.org